


A Hundred Jacks

by eloisestarryeyes



Category: Once Upon a Time (In Space) - The Mechanisms (Album), The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Clones, Original Character(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Canon, The Mechanisms-Typical Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27128167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eloisestarryeyes/pseuds/eloisestarryeyes
Summary: An Alternate Universe where King Cole decides it's a good idea to kidnap and clone Jack the Giant Killer for his army instead of Rose Red.
Relationships: Cinders/Rose (Once Upon A Time In Space)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. What a good boy he is

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted more content for my boy Jack, so I decided to write it myself.  
> Here's this AU that evolved from a joke about how many Jacks there are in fairy tales and nursery rhymes.  
> Title is a reference to piece of Fiction on the Mech’s website called “Chapter’s End”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "hero" is successfully taken.

Corporal John Spratt went by all kinds of nicknames.

Mad Jack.

Jack the Giant Killer.

Our Boy Jack.

Always Jack. Always something he wasn’t.

Quite fitting, really. Given his entire life up to this point.

Jack had a feeling his life was going to shit the minute he began to fight in this bloody war.

However, “fight” is a mighty generous word.

He stopped struggling a long time ago.

It’s useless really, him against the Crown.

Jack could still hear the screams of his sister, his wife, and his allies echo in his mind.

The only possible good thing about this is that maybe now the universe is doing him and everyone else a favor.

Maybe he’ll join his mother, assuming she would even face him. But Jack wouldn’t blame her a bit if she didn’t.

He’d been an awful son, an awful brother, an awful husband, an awful friend, and an awful Corporal.

Jack strained his ears as he overheard King Cole talking to the doctors.

What could they possibly be planning for him?

Against the alcohol and the drugs that clouded his mind, he could hear something about being a soldier. Something about Rose. Seems disappointed. Multiple soldiers. An army. All coming...

From him.

The horror slowly dawned upon Jack.

So many people thought he was special.

So many people said he was a great warrior.

So many people spoke of him as if he were a legend, even King Cole himself was fooled.

Jack wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh so badly.

The Crown was going to be in for a nasty surprise.

An army of cowardly drunks. If only Jack could be awake for all this, he would gladly watch the incoming shitstorm.

Because Jack wasn’t a hero. Never was, never will be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title is a reference to the Little Jack Horner nursery rhyme.


	2. Jack of all trades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How those around him were affected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance as this chapter probably isn't very good. Also you can probably tell I took a lot of influence from the OUATIS fiction when writing this chapter.

Tom Thumb sat quietly for the first time in his life.

His friend was captured and cloned by King Cole.

_ The fucking hero of the goddamn resistance was captured and cloned by King Cole.  _

Now all everybody would see on the battlefield was that man, fighting against the rebellion he once fought beside.

He didn’t even bother to talk to Red Hood, who was busy setting up the broadcast.

Tom knew he would have to get over himself and do his job, but Cole always knew how to make it all the harder. He chuckled at the thought of that.

“Tom. You alright? We’re almost on.”

“..Sure.”

“I get you’re upset, but it’s only been-”

“I don’t care how long it’s been already. One of our own was fucking taken by Cole.” He didn’t want to raise his voice at her, but his anger was bubbling to the surface. “Look at how far down morale’s gotten.”

“Well, maybe you could use that. Isn’t that what you do best?”

A small smile came across Tom’s face.

Static crackled.

Hood nodded.

Tom took a breath and used his anger.

\--

Rose Red and Cinders waited in the bar together.

It was a shame, what happened to Jack. He wasn’t exactly a hero, but he certainly didn’t deserve getting captured by Crown forces and experimented on.

Despite the enhancements, the jacks themselves more or less matched the strength of their genetic base. Not the best, making them easy to mow down. Unfortunately, the Crown seemed to realize that. So to compensate they made many Jacks. So many, in fact, that it was common for soldiers to get overwhelmed and dogpiled in battle.

Thankfully, one could avoid that if they were careful and didn’t get cocky. Why else would Rose still be alive?

Although that might change soon. Outpost Rapunzel was going to fall. Rose and Cinders already said their goodbyes to General White. It was only a matter of time now. The couple were silent.

Rose could take down any jacks she could find, sure. But there were also standard Crown soldiers against them and the hundred or so men the resistance had on hand at the base.

The door flew open and a short man ran in.

“Are they here?”

Tom nodded. “They’re here, alright. A whole horde of jacks.” He filled up his rifle and cocked it.

“Let’s go show those bastards what for.”

Cinders and Rose took their guns, and with each other by their side, went off to die.


	3. From Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The status of the early prototype.

How long had he been here?

The first of the Jacks had no choice but to wonder.

He couldn’t do anything else in this prison.

Nothing else to do but sit and ruminate on memories that were never his.

Memories he never wanted.

Mother’s death, brother becoming a sister, being dragged into a war, meeting a girl, killing and killing, followed by drinking and drinking.

Then being stolen.

It was all utter torture.

He screamed until his throat was hoarse.

He made sure to kill every single one of the bastards who brought him to life.

The process of his creation made him strong, and he took advantage of it.

He tore them all apart. All while enjoying every second of it.

Jack is not his name. People said it was, but they're all wrong. He is someone else.

He’s more of a warrior than the man he was born from.

Despite that, the restraints and wires held him tight in the tiny cell.

The remaining scientist, in their last moments, was able to activate a security protocol.

_Someone get me out. And maybe bring me a sword. Or a gun. Anything really._

Madness was taking hold of him.

The room vibrated just a bit.

Echoes of footsteps. Running.

Gunshots.

Yelling.

Laughter. So much laughter.

Suddenly, the wall in front of the clone was blasted open.

A man stepped through, illuminated by beams of light that flooded the prison.

The prototype’s mouth moved, but he couldn't speak.

The madman was grinning from ear to ear. He was familiar.

The original knew him.

But that didn’t matter.

Jonny smugly turned his painted face towards the woman who was standing on the other side of the wall.

“Well, what do you know! It worked!” He turned back towards the copy and effortlessly shot the chains and machines.

Sparks danced as they broke apart and fell limp onto the cold metal ground.

“So this must be Jack the Ripper.” 

Said Ripper was utterly shocked. He could finally move again.

Slowly and silently, he stood up. His body ached, still trying to process all this regained motion.

“...Not much of a talker, are you?” 

The young clone took a deep, shaking breath. It had been a while since he had a reason to speak.

“T-thank... You.”

Jonny d'Ville had freed Jack the Ripper after what felt like an eternity of isolation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title references a letter supposedly written by Jack the Ripper.


End file.
